8.14.2010

A dear friend and esteemed food blogger had me to tea and wonderful nibbles last week. We talked about abundant eating gluten-free in a pastry-shop world and she generously gave A Joyful Celiac mention.

A Joyful Celiac is an offering to people with celiac disease, gluten-intolerance, and those who simple want to reduce their gluten intake. I post sporadically and I respond to questions about living and eating joyfully celiac disease.

HOW I THINK ABOUT FOOD

Maximize nutrient to pleasure ratio/Minimize simple carbohydrates/No additives, artificial colors or flavors/Eat many colors of fruits and vegetables each day/Maple syrup or honey rarely/Cane sugar & corn syrup never/Supplement iron, calcium & B12/Drink full-leaf tea daily/Fruit juice is sugar/Pursue new flavors/Store fats in glass jars/Contemporary soy is an industrial product, not food/Invest money & time in eating well/Never leave the house without a plan for food/Honor cravings gently and they'll dissolve--but sugar creates demand for sugar/Fish oil each day/Use spices and flavors luxuriantly/Make food for the week in advance/Eat dark chocolate/Share the joy/And of course, no gluten at all.

DELICIOUS::YUM

The purpose of this blog is to support others diagnosed with celiac disease. More and more frequently, friends and colleagues are asking me for referrals and resources for the newly diagnosed celiacs & gluten-free eaters in their lives. :: There are already many wonderful websites and blogs for the gluten-free and I don't intend to replicate their efforts. :: A Joyful Celiac :: chronicles what I eat, why I eat it, and where I buy it. :: It's only what has worked for me. It has been effective--I test negative for antibodies to gluten, my BMI stays around 20, I'm active and I really revel in every thing I eat. :: But, I am not a medical provider or a nutritionist and I don't offer medical advice. If you are ill or are having difficulty maintaining a healthy weight, please talk with someone qualified to diagnose and work with your needs. :: The standard of celiac care includes a bone mass study, annual antibody testing, nutritional counseling, and screening for iron & B12 deficiency anemia. :: For six or more months after diagnosis many celiacs have difficulty digesting milk and soy products. If you're gluten-free and continuing having symptoms, consider abstaining from dairy and soy while the body heals, and then try adding the foods back in. :: I live in area where local grown, organic food is available year round and I know that this is a privilege. :: I prioritize spending on food. I think of it as an investment in my present & future. :: I'll post ideas & recipes sporadically.

About Me

I have celiac disease. I love to eat. My head is shaved as part of my Buddhist practice. I became vegetarian at sixteen and only recently returned to eating flesh. I was diagnosed with CD in the Spring of 2003 when I was thirty-one years old but I had been sick since early childhood. Before I went gluten-free, my life was limited by grinding fatigue, chronic injuries, intermittent depression and constant anxiety. Since my diagnosis I've gone to graduate school & become a psychiatric social worker. I work full-time on an urban mobile crisis team for multiply diagnosed people. Eating safely is a crucial to my ability to do demanding work. Going gluten-free has given me a vibrant new life of possibility and spontaneous joy--I wish you the same.